Ageism, a societal phenomenon rooted in various theories of aging, is influencing the training of new AI and the design of technologies for the elderly. The semiotic perspective highlights how preconceived stereotypes limit the natural development of the narrative self during this crucial phase of adaptation and transformation. It is precisely in the rehabilitation of the act of narration, particularly through autobiographical storytelling, that the individual can reposition themselves as an actor–participant, reconstitute themselves as a subject of action, insert themselves into multiple spatiotemporal and thematic contexts, and freely explore different modes of introspection and engagement with others, thanks to the pre–existing narrative flow. Moreover, a developed narrative capacity (regardless of the strength of the codes used) can compensate for the shortcomings of a weakened body and facilitate the maintenance of one’s narrative programming. Consequently, its enunciative extension in the production of real acts also benefits, maintaining a coherence of meaning production. Without individual narrative programming, or even worse, following an ageist narrative programming, this compensation is lost, leading the elderly individual to a slow spiritual weakening, culminating in a coercive individualization that determines a total detachment from society. EUFACETS seeks to address this issue by developing a mobile application that allows seniors to share their life narratives, fostering a stronger sense of self and rehabilitating their core narrative identity.
Keywords: Invecchiamento; Ageismo; Narrazione; Riabilitazione; Semiotica; Design.